If you are a reader, have you followed a blog tour and commented at each stop? If you have, you might like to visit the goddessfish site and check out the tours currently in progress. There appear to be some really good ones.
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2010/01/virtual-tour-dead-undead-or-something.html
What do you think of the idea of blog tours? There's been quite a bit of discussion on a GoodReads.com "Advertising and Promo Tips" group that I'm on. Some authors have tried DIY tours, others have tried professsionally organized (and compensated) tours, and they report mixed experiences.
My friend Sandy Lender (whom I hosted some months ago as part of her tour) reports a very positive experience with her entire tour. Others... not so much.
My guess is that success depends mostly upon the touring author, and a little bit upon her hostess. But also, success can be perceived in different ways. In my opinion the true measure ought to be a spike in sales the day the post goes live. However, the most obvious measure --the one that gets rewarded-- is how many comments are posted.
I'm going to be a tad snarky here. How many blog surfers are motivated to comment by the chance that they might win a $10 Amazon gift certificate? Are you? Is $10 going to cover something I really want, plus the tax and the postage and packing?
In the interests of full disclosure, the hostess with the mostest comments on a tour can win a $15 Amazon gift certificate. More to the point, a hostess is also entitled to a half price (and the goddessfish prices are outstandingly good value, this has to be said) book trailer or banner.
At the moment, I don't need either, but I am planning to do a teaching article on blog tours for http://1stTurningPoint.com So, please do comment on your perceptions of the process!
(By the way, on the 22nd February, I've got a snarky teaching article on http://1stTurningPoint.com about the Google Book Settlement. I'd really appreciate some comments and questions.)
Please come back on Tuesday, Feb 9th to help me welcome my guest blogger, J A Saare author of “Dead, Undead, or Something In Between”.
Here's the blurb that was emailed to me by goddessfish. What intrigued me was the idea of vampire blood as a drug... that and the black humor of the first line.
One bad corpse can ruin your whole day. No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy.She’s left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she’s managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her – until now.The deliciously good-looking vampire Disco knows her secret, and when he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, she discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.
J A Saare's blog tour starts on Monday 8th. Maybe you'd like to check out how she does right from the start. And, if you comment on every post she makes, you'll certainly improve your chances of winning that $10 Amazon certificate.
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2010/01/virtual-tour-dead-undead-or-something.html
Posts
8 comments:
Rowena,
The success of an online book tour depends upon the author and the host. I've organized my own tours and depended on promotional companies to organize them for me. Even when a company put a tour together for me, I was involved in setting up blog stops and "the first ever live Tweeterview" because I'm just a Type A personality that way. But as you stated in your post, success is going to be defined by different markers: book sales, number of comments, new followers/fans, new contacts/networks, etc.
I'm leading a workshop on online book tours during Jo Linsdell's PROMO Day this year (Sat., May 15), which folks can check out at http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/promoday/, and I'll be discussing it as part of my presentation on online marketing at the NPC 8th Annual Writers' Conference in Naples, Florida, this April 10-11 (http://www.authorsandbooksfestival.org/). I'm sure there are tons of other references we can offer visitors, but those are a couple I'm doing in the near future.
Thanks!
Sandy Lender
"Some days, you just want the dragon to win."
Sandy,
Thank you so much for your comment and great words of wisdom.
What is live Tweeterview?
Do remind me closer to the date of your urls for the workshops and presentations, and I'll be thrilled to give you a shout-out.
Best,
Rowena
Rowena,
I'll confess that I'm bias when it comes to book tours (this is my second). The opportunity to branch out and reach new people is a good thing, and if you're hosted by people who share your interests, you can't ask for more.
There is one element to consider, and is the major reason I decided to promote Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between. During my last tour, I met some of the most amazing people (both readers and authors), and the relationships we have formed is beyond rewarding.
As for the gift certificate/prizes for commenting. I'm sure there are people who comment entirely for gain (and without a whole lot of regard for the material). It's the nature of the beast. However, if I gain the notice of one or two people along the stop, I consider it a victory won.
That's my 2 cents. See you tomorrow!
Jaime
Oh, and on a side note, regarding the $10 Amazon.com giftcard. No prizes are necessary, though others choose to give away copies of their books upon tours completion. It's wholly dependent upon the author on tour.
I'm of the mindset that it's the gesture that counts, not the amount.
Jaime
Were I offered the chance at a $10 Amazon gift-card, I'd leap at it. That's at least two books for me.
As has been mentioned, it also seems like a good way to connect with the reader or writer community, regardless of whether or not a prize is garnered at the end. It also helps boost promotion for your book. I don't say this as a writer for whom this tactic has worked, but as a consumer who has followed links, read summaries and reviews, and made purchasing decisions based off the "chance to win" blogs.
Are you kidding? I'd love to win a $10 gift card. Most of the books I want are $8 or less. If I can get a couple, even better! And I see it as a goodwill gesture on behalf of the author, especially since I comment plenty of places without promise of a "reward." So keep the $10 gift cards coming, please. ;)
$10 for taking one minute to comment on a blog? That's better than what anyone could make in any profession for the time spent, even those that are illegal in most states.:)
I have to agree that it's the gesture that counts. It's also important to note that the psychology of free is a very real thing. In other words, getting something for doing nothing (or very little) is always attractive to people.
$10 is 10 more dollars than I had previously so yes, I will take one minute to comment and up my chances, for very little time spent, of having more than I did before.
It's Tuesday, so please comment on J A Saare's post today.
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